What Ministry Is All About, Part 17
In our message, GOD’S STRENGTH MADE PERFECT (2 Cor. 12:1-13), Paul continues his duel of foolish boasting with the false apostles (2 Cor. 11:16). After citing he was equal to them in their worldly credentials (2 Cor. 11:22), and also superior to them in his extensive suffering for God’s kingdom (which was something they probably had not even thought of! e.g. 2 Cor. 11:23-27), Paul now turned toward “visions and revelations” as well as “signs and wonders” which also set apart a true apostle in the first century from those who were counterfeits (2 Cor. 11:17-18; 12:1, 10; Eph. 2:20, etc.).
Paul reluctantly shared a vision he had experienced “fourteen years ago” when he “was caught up to the third heaven” or “Paradise” where God Himself dwells- and came back! (2 Cor. 12:1-3, 7a). Paul stated nothing from the details of this vision because the Lord did not permit him (2 Cor. 12:4; 1 Cor. 2:9, etc.). So great was this experience of going to heaven and returning that God allowed a “thorn in [Paul’s] flesh” to keep the apostle from pride (2 Cor. 12:5-7). This painful thorn, the Word shows us, was from “Satan,” and Paul prayed repeatedly for the Lord to remove it (2 Cor. 12:7-8). However, God did not do that as He sovereignly used this bad thing for good in Paul’s life. The thorn made Paul weak so God’s “grace” could permeate the apostle’s ministry- filling him with kingdom power (Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 4:20; 15:10, etc.). This is because God’s “STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN [our] WEAKNESS” (2 Cor. 12:10).
Paul then concluded his duel of foolish boasting which was “compelled” as he also referenced some of the miracles the Lord “accomplished among” the Corinthians through him as a true apostle (2 Cor. 12:11-13; 1 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 2:20; 3:5, etc.). *For more information on this message, please see SBFC’s June 8, 2025 sermon above.